


Over The Years

by badartandbadfaith



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Eventual Smut, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Future Fic, Underage Drinking, Underage Kissing, Young Selina Kyle/Bruce Wayne
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-12
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:13:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 10
Words: 9,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27523618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/badartandbadfaith/pseuds/badartandbadfaith
Summary: Extra scenes from each season so we can get a better look at how their relationship develops.Or: Bruce and Selina over the years.
Relationships: Selina Kyle/Bruce Wayne
Comments: 30
Kudos: 47





	1. 1.1

Bruce Wayne was the weirdest kid Selina Kyle had ever met.

But like, in a good way.

Most rich kids were dumb as rocks and treated her like street trash, if they noticed her at all.

Not Bruce.

He was oddly formal at times, speaking more like a 40-year-old rather than a 12-year-old. And he had a habit of holding eye contact with you when you talked, like nothing else mattered.

Plus, he was convinced he could somehow prepare for tragedy by holding his breath in a pool and boxing.

And he asked _so_ many questions.

Normally all of this would make Selina just want to rob him and never see him again.

And yet…

****

She was laying upside down on the sofa in the study, watching as Bruce tapped his foot nervously under the coffee table.

“What are you studying?” she asks, wondering what’s got him so high strung.

Bruce’s foot stops tapping and she can hear him frantically rustling at the paper in front of him.

“Uh, ancient history” he stutters out.

“Boring” she says, dragging the word out.

Selina swiftly moves back into an upright position on the couch, catching Bruce staring at her before quickly looking back down at his school work, cheeks pink.

She stands up and starts wandering around the room, picking up little knick knacks to entertain herself. She feels his eyes on her back but doesn’t bother turning around. She goes to the mantlepiece and shuffles along, staring at each photo for a moment.

Baby Bruce, swaddled in soft blue blankets.

Toddler Bruce with a gummy toothless grin, sitting leaning against his mother while he smiles for the camera.

Young Bruce in his stiff uniform, grinning for his first school photo.

Bruce and his parents over the last couple of years, in Rome. Switzerland. Canada. Japan.

“Your parents loved you a lot” Selina states wistfully.

“Yeah” Bruce agrees quietly, coming up to stand beside her.

“So which of these was your favourite?” She asks, turning to him.

“Favourite what?” he says, with that intense stare of his.

“Y’know, the Best Day” she says.

“Ever?”

“Yes, genius” she says exasperated, leaning against the desk with her arms crossed “your best memory ever. There has to be one. One of those holidays surely” she says, nodding towards the bundle of travel portraits.

Bruce looks thoughtful for several moments before speaking. Selina liked that about him, that he always chose his words carefully.

“Not one of those holidays. But my father and I had a tradition where every year we’d go hiking and camping together in the woods. One year he convinced mother to come along. And we cooked marshmallows over the fire, and mother sang fathers favourite song for us. And it was just the three of us with no interruptions for the whole evening. They both cuddled me all night long” he finishes, wonderfully unembarrassed.

Selina watches him as he’s lost in the memory. He looks different, almost… lighter. Bruce shakes himself out of it and smiles at Selina.

“That sounds like a great Best Day” she says.

“The best” he agrees “what’s yours then?”.

Selina doesn’t need a moment to think it over. Her Best Day was what she thought about when she had to sleep under the bridge, or scrabble for food in restaurant bins.

“It was my fifth birthday” she starts “my last before my mum left. We’d been squatting in this awesome abandoned apartment for a few weeks. She used the last of our cash and bought some of that boxed mac and cheese and oatmeal raisin cookies. We had a little fire in the living room that we used to cook the mac and cheese and we ate it straight from the pot”.

She takes a breath for a moment, Bruce continuing to pin her with that serious stare of his.

“We didn’t have a TV obviously. But my mums last boyfriend had one, and once when they were passed out, I got to watch it. There was this new Disney movie on, The Little Mermaid. And I’d been obsessed with it ever since. So, mum and I acted it out together from start to finish. I was Ariel since it was my birthday and she played every other character. It was hilarious.” Selina says with a smile “she was gone a few weeks later, so that was my Best Day”.

“That sounds great” Bruce says earnestly, but he looks sad.

Somehow, Bruce Wayne was the only one allowed to pity her. Selina shrugs and shakes the moment off, walking back to the coffee table and peering at Bruce’s papers.

“Oh! They’re nothing!” He says, scrambling to pick the papers up into his skinny arms, but not before Selina catches a glimpse of a sweet childish sketch of her face.

_Two Days Later_

Bruce had been acting weird.

He was more jittery than normal, his eyes constantly skittering to her and then away again. He’d had several whispered conversations with Alfred.

Selina’s pretty sure her time at Wayne Manor was up.

She’d spent the aimless hours between lunch and dinner wandering the house. Peeping into rooms she hadn’t seen yet and touching bits and bobs placed around the house. She liked Wayne Manor because one wall would be covered in Rembrandt and Picasso, and then the next was pasted in Bruce’s childish scribbles ranging from toddler times to only months before.

It felt less like a cold mansion, and more like a home. The love that Thomas and Martha had for their son was evident everywhere.

She’s sitting in the conservatory enjoying herself when Bruce finds her.

“Hey” he says nervously.

“Hey”

“What are you doing?”

“Just sitting and enjoying the last of the sun” she says.

“If you’re not busy, would you come with me? Alfred and I-”

“It’s okay, I get it” Selina says, interrupting him quickly.

“Get _what_?” he asks confused.

“You guys are kicking me out. I know I’ve been getting in your way. It’s okay”.

Bruce looks flabbergasted.

“Kicking you out? I would never” he says vehemently “you haven’t been getting in the way, I like having somebody else here”.

“Then why have you been acting so weird?” she asks suspiciously.

“I just wanted to surprise you” he says frustrated.

“A surprise?” she asks, perking up “like a gift?”.

“Of sorts” he hedges “just, follow me okay?”.

Selina shrugs and gets up, loping along side him.

When they come to the door of the projection room (yes, _seriously_ ) Bruce stops and hesitates for a moment.

“Don’t… Don’t laugh okay? Or get mad”.

Before Selina can ask why she’d be mad he opens to door and leads her in.

It takes her a moment to assess the situation. Two bowls of steaming homemade mac and cheese sit on the armrests as well as two glasses of lemonade. On the projection screen is the paused image of the opening scene to The Little Mermaid.

Selina isn’t into gambling, but she’d bet every last dollar she had (which was exactly 12) that there would be homemade oatmeal raisin cookies to finish.

She’s not sure what to say.

“You’re mad, aren’t you?” Bruce asks, worried “I’m not trying to replace your memory, I just thought that if we recreated it, it would make you happy”.

Selina had spent her entire life learning the most important lesson: always look after number one. She had friends on the street, but all of them would put themselves before Selina in a heartbeat. And she wouldn’t grudge them for it.

She didn’t know anyone else who would go to these lengths just because it might make her happy.

Selina swallows down the lump in her throat and gives Bruce a quick hug, startling him.

“Thank you” she says, before moving to sit down. She breathes in the cheesy deliciousness in the bowl and lets out a happy sigh.

“Alright you two?” Alfred asks, pressing play on the film at their assent.

Nothing could replace Selina’s Best Day. But she knew what came in close second now.


	2. 1.2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short and sweet

Selina likes prowling the halls of Wayne Manor at night.

The room she was in was nice, and huge. But the bed was too soft. And Selina was used to lots of noise at night, but of cars and people and fighting. Not of a huge old house, expanding and creaking.

So, she’d been sleeping fitfully ever since she had gotten here. Though to be fair, she generally was a light sleeper anyway. You had to always be on your guard. She never really had a specific destination in mind, but she rather liked rambling all over the place, no one to disturb her or tell her off.

This evening she was exploring a wing she hadn’t spent much time in before. It was on the opposite side of the house to where she slept and felt much more lived in. Though the manor was always pristine, these halls had some scuff marks as well as more family photos rather than high end art.

Selina is very careful about going into any of the rooms at night, not wanting to accidentally walk into somebody’s bedroom and wake them up. She sussing out one door, trying to ascertain if it’s likely to be a bedroom or something more interesting when she hears it.

A sniffle.

And then a big gulp.

And quick heaving breaths.

Somebody was crying.

Selina’s first reaction was to run back to her own room and pretend she had never been in this area. But logically she knows that it’s hardly likely that any of the staff would be crying. And there is only one small boy in this whole house who had reason enough to.

She hesitates for a moment. If she goes to see if he’s alright he might be embarrassed to be caught crying, or angry at her. But if she leaves him to it…

No, Selina was a better friend than that.

She moves a couple of doors down the hallway until she’s sure she’s standing in front of the right one, the sound of his crying louder here. She takes a deep breath and knocks quietly before opening the door and stepping inside.

“I’m quite alright Alfr- Oh, it’s you” Bruce says, sniffling.

“It’s me” she concurs, stepping slightly further into the room.

It’s silent. Neither of them knowing what to say. Bruce is sitting up in bed, eyes red and swollen.

“Whatcha crying about?” Selina asks, subtlety not her forte just yet.

“Nothing” he responds automatically.

Selina moves further forward and sits at the end of the bed (which is _huge_ and dwarfs him, the poor kid).

“Liar”

“Am not” he tells her, offended.

“So, tell me why you were crying”.

“I just had a bad dream is all. Why are you up?” he asks.

“I like walking around at night” she shrugs “what was your bad dream?”.

He hesitates and seems to consider her for a moment “my parents were still alive, and we were having Christmas dinner, and everybody was happy” he tells her quietly.

“That doesn’t sound bad” she says, confused.

“The dream wasn’t bad, waking up and remembering reality was” he tells her, sounding older than 12.

“Can I come for Christmas this year?” she asks, to distract him.

“Of course” he says automatically, always so polite.

“I’ve never had a proper Christmas dinner” she tells him wistfully.

He sends her a tentative smile “Alfred always makes the best; you really _can_ come this year you know. It’d be fun”.

Selina knows it’s all make believe. By Christmastime Bruce will probably have forgotten that she existed, or would think back to her time here as a strange novelty. But it’s still nice to think that they could be real friends like that.

“I’ll get you a really good Christmas present” she tells him with a smile.

“Yeah? Like what?” he asks.

“Maybe some better pyjamas” she tells him with a giggle.

“What’s wrong with my pyjamas?” he asks with a frown.

“They’re old man pyjamas, you’re supposed to be relaxed when you sleep, not going to a meeting” she tells him, looking at his button up shirt.

“I like them” he tells her with a shrug.

“Alright then, not new pyjamas. But I’ll think of something and it’ll be awesome” she says with a yawn.

“I bet” Bruce says, laying back down on his pillow, his bad dream totally forgotten.

Selina tries to stay awake, knows she needs to make her way back to her own room to catch a few fitful hours of sleep. But her limbs feel heavy, and she thinks she had better stay until Bruce is fast asleep and she knows he’ll be alright. So she only closes her eyes for a moment.

“Night Cat” is the last thing Selina hears before being pulled under.

When Alfred goes to wake Bruce up the next morning, he finds them. Bruce totally dead to the world, eyes still a little puffy, but peaceful. And Selina, curled up like a cat on the end of his bed, protectively. Alfred lets them sleep for a while longer.


	3. 1.3

The house was _so_ quiet. 

Bruce loved his house. He knew it was too big, and ostentatious. Too much house even when his parents lived there, but now just he and Alfred? Well it probably seemed ridiculous to some.

But Bruce had lived his whole life in the house. Each room held a memory for him, and it was the easiest way for him to hold onto the thread of his parent’s lives.

It had been quiet before.

When his nanny had died. When he’d had the flu. When his parents went to parties.

It was quiet after his parents had been murdered. But even then, he’d had Alfred always bustling around and chatting to him. Making him food and tucking him into bed, pushing him through the motions.

But now Alfred was in the hospital, and Bruce could only spend so many hours hunched in that uncomfortable plastic chair next to his bed. It’s not like he’s really alone here, there’s always staff. But they work silently, moving around him. Not quite sure how to talk to the young boy who was their boss and master of the house.

So Bruce feels like he’s really alone. It’s something he’s wished for before, as all kids do. But now that it’s his reality, all he wants is Alfred nagging him to eat his lunch.

So Bruce occupies himself.

He learns calculus and mythology and criminology. He eats his lunch and tries to concentrate on movies. He practices his balance on the balustrade and researches fighting stance.

Time drags.

He’s practicing handstands in the back garden, hoping to perfect his inverted balance too when she interrupts him.

“Your arms are too skinny to reliably hold yourself for long” comes Selina’s voice.

Bruce tries to right himself gracefully but mostly fails.

Selina’s leaning against a nearby tree grinning at him. She looks the same as the last time he’d seen her, maybe less angry.

“I’m only 12” he says with a frown, looking at his arms.

“I’d up your protein” she tells him wisely.

“What are you doing here?”

“Figured I’d see if you were still alive without your butler around” she teases.

“I can look after myself”.

“Uh huh” Selina says noncommittedly, gracefully launching into a handstand and showing off by walking closer to him on her hands.

“Show-off” Bruce says with a roll of his eyes.

“You’re just jealous that I’m naturally amazing at everything” she tells him haughtily, coming to a standing position and poking her tongue at him childishly.

“Whatever” Bruce huffs, not even in the slightest bit upset.

“So… have ya missed me?” she asks abruptly.

Bruce feels as if there’s a trap here, but he can’t sus it out.

“Yes” he drags out, uncertain.

“Good” she says simply, eyes moving to the house “So, home all alone then?” she asks, eyebrows wiggling suggestively.

Bruce can feel his cheeks heat up, he always felt like such a kid when Selina was around.

“uh…”

She laughs and shakes her head fondly “I’m just messing with ya kid, so naive for a billionaire with no supervision”.

Bruce frowns, feeling like he’d always be one step behind her. Someone for her to tease and laugh at. Normally that wouldn’t bother him, he knew his character well enough and if people wanted to laugh at him, that was their prerogative. But Selina laughing at him? It felt different and put him on edge.

She can clearly see his feelings plain on his face and rolls her eyes “you’re so dumb” she tells him with a shake of her head.

She’s quick as a whip, pushing into his space and kissing him before spinning away, calling out a laughing “Catch ya kid!” before she’s gone.

Bruce is far less bored for the rest of the day. He’s not much of a dreamer by nature, but if he spends the rest of the evening doing a play by play of the encounter in his mind, well who could blame him?


	4. 1.4

Selina is watching a new show on Barbara’s TV- _Friends_ \- when Ivy interrupts her.

“Your boyfriend is here”

“Bruce isn’t my boyfriend” Selina tells her, eyes not leaving the screen. When she really registers Ivy’s words, she spins to face her “Wait, Bruce is here?”.

“If he isn’t your boyfriend how did you know who I was talking about?” Ivy asks her smartly.

“Shut up” Selina says with a glare, moving from the sofa to peek around the wall at the door.

Sure enough, Bruce was standing there. Back straight and wearing one of his dumb old men sweaters that made Selina laugh. Selina stands up straight and scrambles quickly at her hair and wipes her face, hoping she didn’t look like she’d been on the couch all day watching TV.

Which she had been.

When she’s satisfied, she walks around the corner and smiles when he manages to straighten up _even more_ and send her a beaming smile.

“Hello” he says.

“Hey, what are you doing here?”.

“It’s Christmas” he tells her simply, as if that explained everything.

“Merry Christmas?” she offers, confused.

“I thought you might want to have Christmas dinner with Alfred and I? Like we talked about. If you aren’t busy that is. It won’t be very exciting I’m afraid, it’s our first Christmas since…” he trails off.

“Yes, of course I’ll come” Selina says, wanting to wipe that sad look off his face. Plus, she’d never say no to free food. Or Bruce.

“I’m going to Bruce’s for dinner!” Selina calls out to Ivy.

“Use protection!” Ivy calls back just to fuck with Selina.

It makes Bruce blush bright red though, which is pretty funny.

Alfred is waiting with the car on the street, greeting her evenly with a “Miss Kyle” and a nod.

Selina was usually good at reading people, but Alfred was a tough one to crack.

Bruce excitedly talks about some of the gifts he’d gotten this year- books with long names, new boxing gloves and even a small shiny knife for emergencies- while Selina listens. Happy to let him chatter the time away.

The manor isn’t the type to have Christmas decorations littering the lawn and roof, but there is a tasteful wreath on the front door and a haphazardly decorated tree in the lobby.

They lead her to the kitchen rather than the dining room, which never got used anymore. Selina smiles when she sees the third-place set for her at the island, a Christmas cracker sitting on her plate and a small wrapped parcel next to it. Eyeing the parcel, she sends Bruce a questioning look.

“It’s your Christmas present” he tells her with a shrug.

Guilt floods Selina, remembering their conversation that one late night.

“I’m sorry” she tells him “I never really celebrate Christmas, I forgot it was today. I didn’t get you anything”.

Bruce looks nonplussed though “I don’t mind” he tells her earnestly.

Even Alfred shoots her a small smile so Selina guesses it’s alright. It’s not like she could get anything for him that he couldn’t just buy for himself anyway.

They settle down in their seats and Bruce urges her to open her gift. She feels a little silly opening it while he watched. It’s true she didn’t really celebrate Christmas, who would she eat dinner with or get presents for? When they were younger her and Ivy would sometimes steal each other stuff but lately it all seemed so… useless.

She’s worried Bruce has bought her something ridiculous, like diamond earrings. But when she opens the present, she finds two pairs of gloves. One dove grey fingerless pair that is made from a very soft and warm wool. And a second short leather pair.

“I figured you could use an update” Bruce tells her, indicating her well worn and holey gloves “do you like them?”.

Selina is quiet for a moment, stunned at his thoughtfulness, before she sends him a wide smile and hugs him in thanks. He looks a little shocked and very pleased.

“Alright, food time” Alfred tells them, pulling a golden roast chicken out of the oven. He piles the island with all the trimmings. Steaming gravy, huge Yorkshire Puddings (which Selina had never seen before), steamed carrots and crunchy roast potatoes. He pops a bottle of champagne, pouring himself a small glass and giving Bruce and Selina glasses mixed _heavily_ with orange juice.

He holds his glass in the air and says “A very Merry Christmas to you two” with a smile, clinking his glass with them before they all take a sip.

Selina knows adults go ape shit over booze, but hers just tastes like weird fizzy juice and she’s not convinced.

A loud _crack_ startles Selina out of her thoughts and she laughs at Bruce’s downturned face as Alfred happily goes through his winner end of the cracker, donning a pale-yellow crown. Selina offers Bruce hers and they both pull with all their strength. Selina wins and Bruce looks personally offended as she precariously perches her own blue crown atop her curls. To Selina’s amusement he picks up his own Christmas cracker and pulls both ends, letting out a loud whoop and “I won!” as he puts his red crown on.

The food is incredible, Selina ends up eating double what Bruce does, and Alfred gives her some Tupperware of food to take home too. They don’t talk of anything serious or sad, laughing at jokes and reminiscing on some happy memories. It’s the nicest evening Selina has had in a while.

When Bruce walks her back up to (Barbara’s) door he’s quiet. When they get there they stand there awkwardly looking at their feet.

“Thanks for inviting me” Selina tells him, trying to break the awkward tension.

Bruce sends her a smile “Of course, I’m glad you came. It was fun”.

“It was” she agrees “and thanks for my presents. I lied earlier, I did kind of get you something”.

“Yeah?” Bruce asks, interest piqued.

Selina had realised there was one thing he couldn’t just go buy for himself.

Lightning fast she leans and kisses him, watching at his cheeks and ears go pink.

“Merry Christmas” she tells him with a smile before hurrying inside.

She had a pretty low bar for expectations, but it was easily the best Christmas she’d ever had.


	5. 2.1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little baby 400 word chapter here!

Bruce is laying in his bed, staring at the ceiling replaying the nights events over and over.

Selina. Jerome. Galavan.

Bruce hadn’t even wanted to go to the charity event, and he’s not sure he can confidently say he’s glad he went. But it was certainly an experience.

But now it was well past 1am and there was very little chance of Bruce being able to sleep. The adrenalin still thrummed in his veins too fast. It had seemed as though everything moved extra slowly after his parents had died, like walking through syrup. But recently? Everything was on hyper speed.

That’s how she finds him.

“You come here often?” Selina asks cheekily as she hops down from his window. Still dressed elegantly for the party.

Bruce sits up shocked. Selina always played hot and cold, but they’d been fighting so often lately he was sure he wouldn’t see her like this again.

“Hey” he says slowly.

“Hey yourself” she says, moving closer.

“What are you doing here?”.

“Just thought about popping in and saying hi” she says with a shrug.

“Are you okay?”

“Are _you_ okay?” Selina asks, concerned.

“Me? Yes of course, why?” Bruce says

She leans against the end of his bed. Almost looking like an avenging angel with the moon shining behind her.

“Are you deranged? That psycho almost killed you tonight” she says, suddenly serious.

Right, Jerome. Seeing her come in through his window had completely cleared his brain.

“Almost. But it worked out in the end”

“It _worked out_ in the end?” Selina says angrily “Jesus Bruce, do you have a death wish or something?”

“Of course not”

“Then perhaps think about poor Alfred next time? He’d probably spontaneously combust if you died” she lectures.

“I _was_ thinking about Alfred, I was doing it _for_ Alfred!” He says, frustrated.

“Well maybe think about _me_ next time?” she says, stopping abruptly and turning away from him.

“Selina…” he says, voice soft. He goes to get out of bed, but she spins back around and puts her hand up to stop him.

“No, don’t. I just wanted to check up on you, and you’re clearly alright” she says in a rush.

To his dismay she hastily starts backing away from him, to the window. Bruce always felt out of step with her these days, like nothing would mend this chasm between them- one he hadn’t even seen opening.

She turns and steps up onto the window ledge, pausing for a moment to look at all the land this one strange boy owned, before turning back to him for a moment.

“I miss you too, by the way” Selina tells him honestly, before quirking a smile and leaping out of sight.

Maybe they wouldn’t always be out of step.

Mind finally quietened; Bruce falls to sleep easily.


	6. 2.2

The inside of Selina’s head felt chaotic. Cavernous. Deafening.

A multitude of feelings assaulting her all at once.

Anger. Regret. Sadness. Fear. Loneliness.

Waves crashing over her so she felt powerless. One moment ready to charge into the GCPD to go down in a hail of fire. The next, wanting to simply lay down and cry. Was this the beginning of the road to Arkham she wondered? Feeling completely out of control of her own mind.

Selina sits on the rooftop where she last spoke to Bridget. The stupid birds chattering behind her.

Had she done the right thing calling Jim?

Had she sent Bridget straight to her death?

It’s the not ever knowing that would eat Selina up, she knew.

 _Always look after number one_. That was the rule. But everything around her felt in a state of flux, people leaving or dying. And she just felt… lonely. Selina guesses it’s easy to look out for number one when you never have a number two.

She gets up and roughly rubs at her face, hoping to stop the onflow of angry tears. Unsuccessfully. She couldn’t go home, that airless room with nothing but a bed and some guns. She couldn’t face the streets either, pitying looks from those who knew Bridget.

She can’t stay on this roof either though.

Selina checks her watch, but she knows it’s never too late for him. So she starts moving, heading towards the only safe port in this storm.

She scrambles up the wall and perches on the balcony outside the study. Just taking a moment to watch as Bruce paces next to his desk. He’s completely uninterested in the boxes of files surrounding him for once, nor his pin board of clues which surprises Selina. He’d always been single minded ever since Selina had known him, his one constant goal the same: solve his parent’s murder.

She wonders what has him so distracted. Selina goes to enter the room, to let him soothe her ragged nerves, but hastily steps back as Alfred comes into the study. She can still feel the sting on her cheek from where he had hit her. That was one encounter she wanted to stave off for as long as possible.

Bruce stops his pacing and starts talking to Alfred, the wind around Selina is like a howl and she can only catch small fragments at a time.

“Galavan said…”

“Silver… and then she… at school we…”

“Happy, Master Bruce…”

The longer she waits the colder she gets, the smell of rain in the air. Selina feels stupid for coming, for trying to heap her own issues onto his shoulders. If there was one person in Gotham who already had enough to deal with, it was Bruce.

She feels a disconnect in their friendship, like the simplicity that was once there had at some point disappeared. Like maybe, he was starting to see her clearly.

Selina takes a step back. Now wasn’t the time. Just the action of coming here and seeing him had calmed her mind, she felt more in control than earlier. Finally ready to go back home and deal with this herself.

She supposes she did have a number two to think of.

Selina would see Bruce later.

_****_

Selina watches as that _bitch_ Silver St Cloud leans in and kisses Bruce. Watches as he lets her.

She had to _stop_ her.

Selina had no idea at Silver’s end game, but she could guess. And Bruce was too dumb and too sweet to realise when he was being played. Selina knew a gold digger when she saw one.

Why did he even _like_ her? She was so…fake. Being around Silver felt like a tooth ache after too much candy. Sure, she was pretty and always had on those bright and shiny dresses. But there was no _substance_ to her.

Selina feels unreasonably angry and like her stomach is twisted into hot knots.

Bruce was her _friend_. She couldn’t let him be treated like that.

That’s all.


	7. 2.3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another little short chapter.
> 
> Sorry these have to be all short and sharp, I'm trying to make sure they make sense alongside the show itself and it's timeline, the plus side is that I'm able to punch out a couple a day!

Selina was trying to concentrate on the road as she drove back to the city. She hadn’t taken Bruce’s nicest car, but all of his cars were nice in her opinion.

Her mind kept on skittering to different moments of the day.

Bruce whispering in Silvers ear before kissing her.

Bruce not breaking character, even when Tom hit him.

His serious face as he listened to Silver’s confession.

The look in his eyes when he told her what he’d said.

How it was really about _her_.

_I felt tied to her in a way that I couldn’t explain but wouldn’t change, ever_

Christ, she couldn’t believe he had just said that to her. How was she supposed to take that? How could she even respond? He was Bruce Wayne, literal teenage billionaire. And she was what? Gutter trash like Silver said? They were supposed to be friends.

 _Just_ friends. Kinda.

It makes her cheeks feel warm as she thinks about it. That intense look on his face. Selina let’s out a shaky breath and smiles.

She guesses she has something to thank Silver for after all.

_****_

Bruce felt like the nervous energy he felt inside was going to burst out of his skin.

He was shocked at himself, that he’d actually had the courage to say what he was thinking for once. Honestly, it was a miracle he had gotten it all out without stuttering.

A small burst of laughter leaves his lips and he smiles goofily around the room.

She hadn’t looked upset.

Selina had looked a bit stunned, and then like she had no idea how to respond.

But she hadn’t been _angry_.

Which is a lot more than he could have hoped for after the things he had said to her when she had had tea with he and Silver.

Bruce cringes at the memory. He’s ashamed how easily he’d been played by Theo Galavan and Silver. Selina had seen through her instantly, but Bruce had been too in awe by the attention of a girl. A pretty girl.

He vowed to be stronger in the future.

And he was excited to see Selina again.


	8. 2.4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> During and after when Bruce is kidnapped and nearly killed by Galavan and the monks!

Selina is minding her own damn business when she hears.

She’d managed to fence some watches this morning and had had a nice pay day, meaning she’d been able to go to her favourite panini place to grab lunch. Which she is trying to savour and enjoy, leaning against a brick wall as two idiots nearby talk too loudly.

“….Galavan, I heard he kidnapped that Wayne boy last night”

“Really? Shit that’s crazy man”

“You shoulda seen what he did to the previous mayor and some congressmen, the kid won’t last long”

Street gossip normally didn’t phase Selina, shit was always happening somewhere. But she recognised the two knuckleheads who didn’t know the meaning of volume control. They were well known muscle for hire, they’d worked for Falcone, Mooney, Penguin and most recently, Galavan. If they were saying he’d kidnapped Bruce, Selina couldn’t take the chance of ignoring it.

Shit, what was that kid’s _problem_? He had been fine when she had left him at the manor only 24 hours earlier. Lord knows how he’d survived for 13 years when he was prone to such foolishness. Her heart picks up as she looks at her (stolen) watch, if he’d been taken last night who knew what they’d done to him since then.

She throws the rest of her sandwich in the bin (with only one longing glance backwards) and scrambles up a fire escape near her. Either the GCPD already knew and needed her help, or they didn’t know and needed her help.

When she gets to the police station, she’s stopped from entering by the sight of Alfred, Harvey, that weird forensics guy and a nice-looking black man all hurrying out of the station talking in low voices. It’s strange that Jim Gordon isn’t with them, but Selina can tell from their body language that they already know. Luckily the traffic in Gotham is so shit that she has no trouble keeping up with their car as she scrambles across roofs. Except they’re not heading towards Galavan’s building but away from it.

_Idiots._

Selina watches as they greet Jim and clearly debrief him, walking inside the building. She considers showing herself and following them, which would be the easiest way. But Selina doesn’t trust that they won’t just dismiss her. So instead she scrambles along the fire escapes up and down this strange building, peeking into windows as she goes, hoping to catch sight of them.

On her fifth try she’s in luck, and the window is open too, so she can stay hidden and listen to their conversation. Selina is relieved to see that they’re properly suited up, armed to the teeth. When she finally makes her presence known, she can feel the nervous adrenalin pumping in her veins.

They were taking too long. Anything could have happened to Bruce by now.

Alfred’s distrust sets her teeth on edge. She may be a lot of things, but she wouldn’t put Bruce’s life in danger. He should know that.

It feels good to actually be part of the action for once, to not be talked down to like she was just a dumb kid, useful for information but not good enough to help. She _had_ to help.

Charging up the stairs in Galavan’s building, Selina feels her heart pounding in her ears. Her blood rushing faster as she pictures finding Bruce in all sorts of conditions.

Dead.

Tortured.

Pushed to insanity.

She wills her legs to move faster and further, telling herself that if she can just _get there_ then he’ll be alright.

They all come to a standstill as soon as they enter the room with the chanting.

_Death to the son of Gotham._

Not on her fucking watch.

Selina flings herself into the fight with a ferocity that surprises even herself. But she felt angry, and frightened. Though she had seen that Bruce seemed unharmed, tied to the pole in the centre of the room. Time seems to slow as she works her way closer to him, hitting this monk, kicking that monk. It felt so satisfying to let her rage take over in the midst of battle.

She’s heaving and looking around herself frantically, waiting for the next person to come at her. But no one comes. Selina see’s that the floor is littered with people in black robes and there is finally nothing between her and Bruce.

She hurries forward and unties him, managing a shaky smile as Alfred and Bruce hug.

He was safe.

_****_

Selina sits back and watches as Alfred frets about Bruce.

“Is there anything else I can get you sir?” he asks, strained.

She gets it. Bruce was all he had, and tonight had been _too_ close.

“Just some tea please” Bruce says kindly. Looking relieved as Alfred leaves the room.

“He’ll be mother henning you for months you know” she tells him dryly.

“He’s earnt it” Bruce says with a laugh.

They’re both quiet for a moment. The study is warm from the crackling fire, and the light from the moon makes his hair look silvery.

“Thanks for coming to save me” he says.

“Don’t make it a habit” she quips.

“I can’t believe Silver and Tabitha got away” Bruce muses “I hope she’s okay”

“Tabitha?”

“No, Silver”

Selina feels frustrated all of a sudden, the after affects of a stressful night she figures. “Why? She was awful”.

“She wasn’t awful” Bruce says, always too forgiving “Galavan kept me in a cell and she came and stayed with me. We talked, she’s not as bad as she seems” he insists.

“Whatever” Selina says angrily “you’re just too blind to see it”. 

“Maybe. She _did_ tell me she loved me” he confesses, cheeks pink.

Selina rolls her eyes. Why were they even talking about this? She was sick of hearing about Silver.

“You’re 13, I’m pretty sure you have to wait another five years before you two can get married and procreate” she says with a sneer, feeling a little ill.

This time Bruce rolls his eyes, irritated at her childishness. “Don’t be flippant. I told her I didn’t love her, obviously”.

Selina tries not to feel pleased.

They’re quiet once more, both trying to guess at what the other is thinking.

Both failing.

“I’m glad you weren’t murdered” she tells him sincerely.

“Me too” he responds, staring at her for a moment too long.

Selina blushes and stands up, feeling on edge and like they were talking in code somehow. She takes a few steps back while he just sits there and watches her.

“Um, I’ll drop your car off tomorrow” she tells him.

“Car?” comes Alfred’s voice from the doorway, finally pulling Bruce’s eyes from hers “Did you just say you had one of Master Bruce’s cars?” he asks, horrified.

Selina shoots Bruce a panicked look and just shrugs before escaping out the window.

He could explain that one.


	9. 2.5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The start of Bruce and Selina living on the streets together!
> 
> Nothing romantic for these kiddos, but I do love some platonic bed sharing so here ya go.

“You want to _what_?!” Selina exclaims.

“I want to live with you” Bruce repeats patiently.

Selina doesn’t even have the words to respond to that request. She had been hanging out and working out her next job when he had found her and promptly declared that he was going to move in with her.

“Alright back it up a little. What happened with Malone?”.

Bruce looks away from her suddenly. She thinks he won’t say anything but he starts talking, explaining about Cupcake and Jerry and Malone. How Malone hadn’t even _remembered_ Thomas and Martha Wayne. That the defining moment of Bruce’s life had barely even registered to this guy.

Most importantly, how he couldn’t kill him.

Just looking at Bruce she can tell he’s embarrassed, worried that she’d think less of him for it. But Selina’s relieved. She never wanted him to attempt it in the first place, didn’t want that on his shoulders too.

“And now you have a sudden yearning for domestic bliss with me?” she asks, still completely confused.

He looks frustrated “Yes. What happened to my parents was bigger than Malone. I need to live how other people live. How can I ever really help Gotham and avenge them if I’ve never really experienced it?” he explains.

“You’re _crazy_ , you have a huge house and a literal butler to cater to all your needs. Why would you want to live in my shithole squat?”

“I just do, okay?” he says, sounding more annoyed than she had heard him before.

“Alright, alright” she says to calm him “I’ll teach you how to live on the streets. Meet me under the bridge on Church Street at 7 tonight, okay?”.

He looks relieved and grateful, agreeing before hurrying away, needing to meet Alfred back at the hospital.

Selina had _no_ fucking clue what she had just agreed to.

****

Bruce meets her under the bridge right on 7 like they had agreed. It makes her smile.

She slowly leads him back to her squat.

Selina feels strangely nervous. He knew she lived on the streets, that she was poor and alone. But there was knowing and there was _seeing_. Bruce was abnormally sweet for a rich guy, but he’d still grown up with a silver spoon in his mouth. In comparison she’d grown up scrabbling food out of trash cans.

But he’d insisted. And they were here, standing outside her door.

Selina lingers for a moment, trying to drag the moment out.

“Well, this is it” she tells him lamely.

Bruce stares at her expectantly, and Selina can tell that he knew exactly what she was thinking. Observant idiot.

She shoves open the door, faking at confidence she didn’t feel.

“Um, it’s not much but it’s home. For now” she tells him, standing aside as he follows her inside.

What it lacks in homeliness she’s made up for in tidiness. Though it’s still bigger than her last place. _And_ this one had a working bathroom which was a real luxury for people like her. She shows him around the main room which held her mini ‘kitchen’ area and bed, then to the second room which had a small couch, TV and desk for her to work at.

“It’s great” he tells her, and Selina actually thinks he means it.

Weirdo.

He puts his bag down on the couch and looks down at it “I didn’t think to bring any blankets” he says with a frown.

“I have spare ones” she tells him. Secretly she thinks he’ll struggle to sleep, since he was definitely taller than the couch was long. But that’s what he’d signed up for.

“So where do we begin?” he asks her eagerly.

“Don’t get too excited yet” she says with a laugh “Give it a couple of days to get used to living here first, get yourself familiarised with the Narrows. Then we can look at doing some jobs and bringing in some cash”.

He looks disappointed but doesn’t argue.

“Um, make yourself comfortable. I’ll make us some dinner yeah?” she says, slightly uncomfortable. This was weird.

They’d lived together before. But that was in a ginormous manor house, with constant staff always around. Hell, Selina had slept on the other side of the house, which may have been another building in a place that size. And they hadn’t really known each other then.

Now it was just the two of them in her dingy little apartment. No one as a buffer and lots of history between them

Good and bad.

Selina hadn’t anticipated having a house guest so she didn’t have an abundance of food for dinner just laying about. Plus, she didn’t have a fridge, so it was all non-perishables and what she’d been able to steal recently. She boils some pasta and hands Bruce a bowl with tomato sauce and salt.

“Sorry, I don’t have much here right now” she says, cheeks red. Selina remembers the delicious and abundant meals Alfred had made for them.

Bruce seems nonplussed though, relaxing onto the couch and shovelling into his food. Selina gently settles beside him, trying to concentrate on the TV but feeling hyperaware of his proximity.

 _Friends_ was on again. It’s the episode where Rachel goes to Ross at the airport to tell him she feels the same but he’s come home with his new girlfriend Julie. Selina’s seen it before, but it still makes her laugh. Though she’d have prefer a less _feelings_ heavy episode.

Bruce has somehow never heard of the show (Selina swears he’s a 40-year-old man in a 14-year-old boy’s body) and spends most of the evening guffawing at their shenanigans.

When it hits midnight, Selina gets up to change into her pyjamas in the bathroom. She had never thought much about what she wore to bed, but now she feels embarrassed. Her place wasn’t exactly insulated so she wore very thick thermal pyjamas that she thinks may actually be for boys. Plus, they were pretty ragged and holey.

Well it was too late, she only had one pair and it was only Bruce. She had no reason to show off.

When she leaves the bathroom he’d already changed into his (ridiculously formal) pyjamas and was snuggled under the blankets on the couch. He sends her a tired smile and a “goodnight”.

Selina lays down under her sheets on her own bed in the main room, no longer tired as she stares wide eyed at the ceiling.

What a _strange_ evening.

After an hour she’s still awake. Unable to sleep because all she can hear is Bruce shuffling and re-shuffling in the other room, clearly not able to get comfortable on the cramped couch. Selina swears if she hears his frustrated sigh _one_ more time, she would go crazy.

“Bruce” she calls, regretting it instantly.

“Yes?” comes his voice quietly from the other room.

“Come here, and bring your blanket and pillow” she says with a sigh.

He trails into the room, looking confused.

“What?”.

“You can sleep here with me; you clearly don’t fit on that thing and there’s no way I’m sleeping on the couch in my own place”.

He stays standing in the middle of the room and the light streaming through the boards on the windows shows how red he’s gone.

Selina rolls her eyes and sits up.

“Don’t get any funny ideas, it’s a double. We’ll both fit easily. I’ll stay on my side under _my_ blanket, and you can stay on your side under _your_ blanket, okay?”.

He hesitates for a moment, but eventually shuffles over and places his pillow down. Gently lowing himself onto one half of the bed before covering himself with his blanket. Selina lays back down and feels tired enough to sleep, finally.

Honestly, it’s pretty nice. He’s close enough that she could reach an arm over and touch him, but far enough that she has her own space. She hadn’t anticipated how good it would feel to have somebody there who had _her_ back.

Selina falls asleep quickly, lulled by the sound of Bruce’s soft, even breaths.


	10. 2.6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Selina's birthday while they're living together!

It’s been a month since their run in with Sonny, and Bruce’s bruises and stitches have finally cleared up.

The last time Selina had lived in close proximity to a boy like this was _years_ ago. It’s strange, and kinda nice, and very awkward.

It’s only Bruce, but she still feels a little on edge. Having somebody else in her space? Weird.

They’ve fallen into a pattern of domesticity easily. Way too easily.

Bruce is very happy to make and organise all their meals, while Selina tries to keep the place tidy and arranges jobs and his education of street life. She tries to get out of the building in the mornings while he has his shower, thinking it’s too weird to just sit in the next room. And they politely take turns to get dressed in the bathroom every morning (not that Selina has a lot of different outfits to swap between, she insists on doing her own laundry too, there is something way too intimate about him washing her clothes).

To Bruce’s credit, he doesn’t complain once about the griminess of living on the streets, doesn’t seem to mind making his own food and cleaning his own clothes. Selina wonders if he’s really getting out of it what he thought he would.

A knock at the door startles Selina out of her thoughts. She grabs a knife before walking to the door, you truly could never be too careful. When she opens it she’s startled to see Ivy. When Selina see’s what Ivy has in her hand, she goes to shut it.

“No”.

Ivy manages to shove her foot in the door so Selina can’t close it, pushing it open with her shoulder and letting herself in.

“Yes! You forgot again didn’t you?”.

Selina rolls her eyes “I’ve got more important things to think about”.

Ivy places the purple cupcake down on the table while Bruce watches on with curiosity.

“You’d better eat that this time” Ivy tells Selina with a glare.

Bruce is worried the two are about to scratch each other’s eyes out with the way they’re looking at each other. But Ivy suddenly launches at Selina and gives her a hard hug.

“Happy birthday!”

Selina fondly rolls her eyes and says “thanks”.

“Wait, it’s your birthday?” Bruce asks her, shocked.

“Apparently” Selina says, picking up the cupcake in interest.

“You don’t know when your birthday is?” he asks, sadly.

“Of course I know when my birthday is dingus, I just don’t count down the days like everybody else. I forgot it was today” she says with a shrug, taking a bite of the cupcake.

“She’s 15” Ivy supplies helpfully “you’re making her soft billionaire boy, she threw the cupcake in my face last year”.

Selina shoots Ivy a withering glare.

“Why don’t you like celebrating your birthday?” he asks.

“What’s there to celebrate?” she asks seriously.

Bruce opens his mouth, but nothing comes out. He supposes for Selina, there was nobody to supply her with gifts or organise a party. Nobody to notice the passing years.

“But you like celebrating Christmas?” he counters.

“I like celebrating Christmas with _you_ ” she corrects. Cheeks turning pink at the look Ivy gives her.

Well, Bruce would just have to make her like celebrating birthdays with him too.

_****_

Bruce manages to sneak out by telling Selina that he’s going to the library. This wasn’t unusual for him, he’d been living with Selina for going on two months and though he sometimes missed the luxuries of his normal life, what he missed most (besides Alfred) was his books. So he’d visit the public library to have a chance to read. Sometimes Selina would come along, and she’d pick a random book and dramatically read it to him, often acting the parts out too. The librarians always kicked her out. Her haunting rendition of Moby Dick would trump _any_ movie.

Instead of heading towards the library though, Bruce turns right and walks a few blocks before coming to a bodega.

“Hey Mikey!” he calls cheerfully as he enters.

The big man behind the counter gives Bruce a wave hello while he serves a customer. Bruce and Selina may not be _rolling_ in cash, but when they had a pay day they would always stock up at the bodega. Mikey often gave them a discount, and if something was nearing its shelf life, he’d been known to slip it to them for free.

Bruce trails the aisles, trying to decide what Selina would like best. He grabs bags of chips, packets of sugary lollies and some chocolate. As well as some pasta, bacon and cream. Mikey shoots him a surprised look when Bruce places his haul down on the counter. He and Selina would normally grab a few cheap staples at a time, never as much as this.

Bruce had sworn to himself that he wouldn’t touch his money while on the streets, that he didn’t want to rely on it. But it was Selina’s birthday, this was different.

He catches sight of something behind Mikey and tries his luck.

“And a bottle of Marion’s please”.

“Celebrating something?” Mikey asks with a chuckle as he places the cheap bottle of champagne on the counter. Only in the Narrows would someone sell alcohol to a 14-year-old without a second glance.

“It’s Cat’s birthday” Bruce explains as he pays for everything. He carefully packs it all into his backpack and bids goodbye to Mikey, heading back out into the sunshine.

Bruce didn’t want to head home yet, he needed to get Selina a gift first. It takes him a while, wandering around the shops, trying to decide what she’d want. She was a pretty closed off person most of the time, not the type to day dream and wish for things she couldn’t have. This made it difficult to buy her gifts, because Bruce had no idea what she’d like and what she’d scoff at.

Eventually he finds two items he thinks that will be received well and has them gift wrapped.

Mission Birthday was a go.

_****_

Selina is sitting on the couch contemplating their next job when Bruce comes home. He looks shifty.

“How was the library?” She asks.

“Um, good” he tells her. A _terrible_ liar.

“What did you read?” she asks casually.

Bruce takes a second to respond “Tess of the D’Urbervilles”.

Selina gets up from the couch “You’re such a liar, you hate that book”.

“I don’t _hate_ it” he says defensively “I just think that they treat Tess terribly. Even Angel, and he’s supposed to be the sympathetic love interest! _And_ …” he trails off, realising his mistake. Selina had heard this same rant several times, and she knew Bruce would never read that book.

“So where were you then?”.

“I was, out” he tells her vaguely. Placing down his suspiciously heavy looking backpack.

“Spill” Selina demands.

“Fine, I got some birthday stuff” he tells her reluctantly. To her surprise, he starts emptying his backpack, revealing a gluttony of food and two carefully wrapped parcels.

“Bruce….” She says.

“Don’t be mad” he interrupts “I just want you to have a good birthday”.

“Is that champagne?” she asks with a surprised laugh, distracted.

“Maybe”

“I’m corrupting you” she says, without regret.

“I like it” Bruce says easily. Happy now that she hadn’t blown up at him.

Selina can’t articulate a response to that so instead she walks closer to the table and touches one of the prettily wrapped squares.  
“Are these for me?”

“Yup”

“Where did you even get the money for all of this?” she asks, confused.

Bruce shrugs and turns away from her, messing around with the bacon, getting it ready to cook.

“Bruce, did you use your Wayne money?”.

“It was for extenuating circumstances” he says defensively.

“You didn’t have to do that for me” Selina says, feeling guilty. She knew how much it meant to him to not use it.

“I wanted to”.

“Can I open these?” she asks, changing the subject.

“Of course” he says, turning and watching her nervously as her fingers slide under the glossy wrapping paper. A black book cover is revealed to her.

“Game of Thrones” she reads aloud.

“Um, I know you enjoyed Lord of the Rings. And these are apparently like a bloodthirsty fantasy series? That’s what the guy at the bookstore said at least” Bruce rambles.

Selina can’t tamp down a smile. She had mentioned Lord of the Rings once in passing when they were at the library. She couldn’t believe he’d remembered.

“Thank you” she said sincerely.

Bruce Wayne kept on surprising her.

“Maybe you could read it to me?” he says, hopefully.

(She tires to, all the incest gives Bruce the heebie jeebies though so she has to stop).

Selina picks up the second one and Bruce is already talking before she has a chance to open it.

“Oh, I thought since we’d nabbed that VCR machine last week, we could have a movie night? The lady at the store said this is new and that we’d probably like it”.

Selina does a champion job of keeping a straight face when she see’s the cover of _Cruel Intentions_. She’d heard some of the girls gossiping about it on the street. Bruce’s face when he realises he’d bought her a film that was essentially soft core porn would be birthday present enough.

“This is great, thank you” she says happily.

“You’re 15, it’s worth celebrating”.

“15” she muses “only a few years until I’m officially an adult, thank god”.

Selina picks up the champagne bottle and pops the cork, making Bruce jump. She takes a long swig straight from the bottle, the fizzy liquid going down easily. So much better without orange juice. She passes it to Bruce who has successfully made them carbonara for dinner, he delicately tips the bottle back and sips. His eyes find Selina’s as he swallows and she has to look away, feeling suddenly tense.

“If Alfred could see you right now, he’d be apoplectic” she says to break the tension.

Bruce laughs and hands her the bottle back, pouring their dinner into some bowls.

“Should we watch the movie?” he asks.

Selina agrees and they move everything to the couch so they can set up the video player. It takes until half the champagne is gone before Bruce stops sitting uncomfortably upright and relaxes into the couch. Laughing at the antics on the film rather than looking like a somewhat mortified tomato.

Selina was right though, the look on his face had been amazing.

Bruce is more of a lightweight than her and is still giggling (and on a sugar high) when he face plants onto their bed. Selina snuggles under her blankets while Bruce turns to her and smiles.

“Happy birthday” he whispers.

They’re both quiet for a while, just smiling goofily at each other. For a split-second Selina thinks that he’ll lean forward and kiss her, but then the moment is gone and she falls asleep to the familiar sound of his breathing.

Selina would never admit it, but she thought birthdays weren’t so bad anymore.


End file.
